Revisiting Stream Restoration EPR: An Update for the USWG

Revisiting Stream Restoration EPR:

An Update for the USWG

Tom Schueler and David Wood

Chesapeake Stormwater Network

April 23, 2019

SHWG Meeting

Revisiting Stream Restoration: 2018/2019

The USWG formed four groups to revisit the stream restoration EPR

• Group 1: Verifying Stream Restoration Practices

• Group 2: Crediting Outfall Stabilization Practices

• Group 3: Establishing Standards for Applying Protocol 1 (Prevented Sediment)

• Group 4: Adjusting Protocol 2/3 to Capture Floodplain/Stream Reconnection

65 outstanding stream experts(and a few divas)

Table 4. Roster for Group 4 (Adjusting Protocols for Floodplain Reconnection)

Name Affiliation E-mail AddressJoe Berg Biohabitats jberg@biohabitats.comDrew Altland RKK daltland@rkk.orgBill Stack CWP bps@cwp.orgScott Lowe McCormick Taylor sblowe@mcormicktaylor.com

John Hottenstein Ecosystem Planning and Restoration Jhottenstein@eprusa.net

Jeremy Hanson Virginia Tech jchanson@vt.eduSujay Kaushal University of Maryland Skaushal@umd.eduJoel Moore Towson University moore@towson.eduJens Geratz Anne Arundel County DPW pwgera00@aacounty.orgSean Crawford Bayland Consultants scrawford@baylandinc.comJosh Burch DOEE Josh.burch@dc.govJeff Hartranft PADEP BWEW jhartranft@pa.govDenise Clearwater MDE Wetlands and Waterways denise.clearwater@maryland.gov

Paul Mayer EPA Region ORD mayer.paul@epa.govDurelle Scott Virginia Tech dscott@vt.eduGreg Noe USGS gnoe@usgs.govChris Becraft Underwood and Assoc chris@ecosystemrestoration.com

Group 3

Name Affiliation E-mail Address

Drew Altland RKK daltland@rkk.comLisa Fraley-McNeal Center for Watershed Protection lfm@cwp.org

Joe Berg Biohabitats jberg@biohabitats.comRich Starr Ecosystem Planning and Restoration rstarr@eprusa.net

Josh Running Stantec Josh.running@stantec.comMatt Meyers Fairfax County, VA DPWES Matthew.meyers@fairfax.county.gov

Jim Morris JMT jmorris@jmt.comBill Brown PADEP Will.brown@pa.govJeff White MDE Jeff.white@maryland.govJosh Burch DOEE Josh.burch@dc.govReid Cook RES consultants rcook@res.usRalph Spagnolo EPA Region 3 spagnolo.ralph@epa.govTess Thompson Virginia Tech thwynn@vt.eduJoseph Sweeney Water Science Institute joe@waterscienceinstitute.org

Group 2. Outfall Stabilization Crediting Group

Name Affiliation E-mail Address

Ray Bahr (S. Comstock) MDE Rbahr@mde.state.md.us

Stephen Reiling DOEE Stephen.reiling@dc.govTracey Harmon VDOT tracey.harmon@vdot.virginia.gov

Brock Reggi VADEQ Brock.reggi@deq.virginia.gov

Karen Coffman MD SHA KCoffman@sha.state.md.us

Ryan Cole MD SHA (alternate) rcole@sha.state.md.us

Elizabeth Ottinger US EPA Region 3 Ottinger.elizabeth@epa.gov

Carrie Traver US EPA Region 3 Traver.carrie@epa.gov

Alison Santoro MD DNR Alisona.santoro@md.gov

Ted Brown Biohabitats Tbrown@biohabitats.com

Chris Stone Loudoun County, VA Chris.Stone@loudoun.gov

Erik Michelsen Anne Arundel County pwmich20@aacounty.org

Neil Weinstein LID Center nweinstein@lidcenter.org

Nick Noss (James Kaiser)

PA Turnpike Commission Nnoss@paturnpike.com

Group 1 (Verification)

Name Affiliation E-mail

Rich Starr Ecosystem Planning and Restoration rstarr@eprusa.net

Kathy Hoverman KCI Kathy.hoverman@kci.com

Tim Schueler Hazen and Sawyer tschueler@hazenandsawyer.com

Kip Mumaw Ecosystem Services kip@ecosystemservices.us

Neely Law Center for Watershed Protection nll@cwp.org

Meghan Fellows Fairfax County, DPWES meghan.noefellows@fairfaxcounty.gov

Sandra Davis US Fish and Wildlife Service Sandra_davis@fws.gov

Jennifer Rauhofer Stormwater Management Consulting jr@mdswm.com

Josh Burch DOEE Josh.burch@dc.gov

Scott Cox PADEP sccox@pa.gov

Group 1: Verifying Stream Restoration Projects

Focus: Develop a system to cost-effectively verify individual projects every five year

Status: Final Draft Out for Review

Product: Memo on methods, with visual indicators

Visual Indicators to Inspect for Stream Projects

Defining Loss of Pollutant Reduction Function for Protocol 1

Criteria for Loss Key Visual Indicators

Evidence of bank or bed

instability such that the

project delivers more

sediment downstream

than designed,

• Severe bank undercutting (bare earth

exposed)

• Incising bed (bed erosion evident)

• Flanking or downstream scour of

channel structures

• Failure or collapse of bank armoring

practices

Status % Failing *

Functioning 0 to 10% of reach

Showing Major

Compromise20 to 40% of reach

Project Failure 50% or more of reach

Group 2: Crediting Outfall Restoration Projects

Focus: Decide whether to establish a new crediting protocol for this class of projects

Status: Final issue resolution

Product: New Protocol “5” along with supporting technical memo

Eroding Outfalls as an Urban Sediment Delivery Hotspot

Outfall Restoration Practices

Stone step pools below outfall: courtesy Anne Arundel County DPW

Group 3:Revisiting the Prevented Sediment Protocol

Focus: Agreement on best practices for applying the protocol in the field and office, and setting limits on the degree of armoring allowed

Status: Expect to finish up in June or July

Product: Technical memo with revised protocol and incentives for better on-site data collection

Bulk Density (lbs/ft3)Expert Panel Report Case Study Example(Schueler and Stack 2014)

125

Carroll County Average of 5 sites and 39 samples

56

James Madison University Arboretum, Virginia(Mumaw 2015)

80

Paxton Creek, PA range of 9 samples 67 - 76Case Study Projects in North Carolina(Doll et al. 2018)

52 - 88

Three Armoring Categories

Non-Creditable

Armoring

Creditable

w/ Limits

Creditable

Armoring • Concrete retaining walls

• Gabions

• Dumped rip-rap

• Sheet piling/planking

• Block walls

• Geogrid/concrete/gabion

mattresses

• Non-biodegradable soil

stabilization

mats/systems

• Angular riprap stone

installed for bank

protection

• Imbricated rip rap

• Berm/pool cascades

• Boulder revetments

• Rocks used for localized

toe protection

• Root-wad revetments?

• Any soft-armoring

bioengineering practices

such as live stakes, coir

logs etc.

• Riffle weir series

Group 4: Floodplain Reconnection and Hyporheic Exchange (Protocol 2 and 3)

Focus: updating the protocols to reflect new research and design approaches for this class of projects

Status: Still in research phase, expected to run to Fall, 2019

Product: Technical memo and possibly revised protocols 2 and 3

Sediment and nutrient dynamics in the floodplain

Courtesy of Greg Noe, USGS

Streambank erosion and floodplain deposition dominate the watershed sediment budget, especially in urban areas

Photo Credit: G. Noe, USGS

High erosion rates Long term storage

CBP STREAM FEEDBACK LOOP

Photo Credit: Severn Riverkeeper

17

• Extensive state and EPA involvement in all four groups

• Expect extensive additional review and comment at USWG phase

• Goal is to compile an updated guidance document for crediting stream restoration projects by end of 2019

Next Steps

Verification Memo• Comment Period Until May 31• Seek USWG Approval at June 18 Meeting

Outfall Memo• Subgroup meeting to develop compromise

language• Comment Period will open following group

consensus• Seek USWG Approval June 18 or following meeting